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Roast Beef

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Roast Beef

Cuisine:World

Course:Dinner

10m prep 1h cook 2h ready

A classic roast beef technique for well-marbled rib or loin cuts, yielding a pink center with a crusty exterior. Seasoned simply with salt and pepper, then roasted at high heat and finished low, with an optional pan gravy or sauce.

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Ingredients

Servings:
½× 1× 1½× 2× 3×
Units:
As Written US Metric
  • One beef roast from the rib or loin, bone-in or boneless
  • About ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper per pound of meat
  • 1
    • Fat from the pan drippings or butter to make 2 tablespoons
    • 1 to 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (the larger amount for a thicker sauce)
    • The degreased pan juices plus enough stock, wine, beer, cream, milk, or water to make 1 cup
    • Salt and black pepper
    • (Minced fresh or crumbled dried herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, or sage)
    • (Finely grated lemon zest or lemon juice)
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Remove the meat or poultry from the pan, place it on a platter, and keep warm. Pour off all the pan juices, leaving behind or adding: Fat from the pan drippings or butter to make 2 tablespoons
    2. Place the pan over medium-low heat (melt the butter, if using). Gradually whisk in: 1 to 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (the larger amount for a thicker sauce)
    3. Cook, whisking constantly, until the roux is smooth and the flour is nutty and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in: The degreased pan juices plus enough stock, wine, beer, cream, milk, or water to make 1 cup
    4. Simmer gently until thickened, up to 10 minutes. Season to taste with: Salt and black pepper; (Minced fresh or crumbled dried herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, or sage); (Finely grated lemon zest or lemon juice)
    5. Strain the gravy, if desired, and reheat before serving.
  • 1
    • ½ cup olive oil
    • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
    • ⅓ cup finely chopped onion, shallot, or green onion
    • ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley
    • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    • (1 tablespoon finely chopped oregano)
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
    • Salt to taste
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Whisk together thoroughly in a small bowl: ½ cup olive oil; ¼ cup red wine vinegar
    2. Stir in: ⅓ cup finely chopped onion, shallot, or green onion; ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; (1 tablespoon finely chopped oregano); ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste; ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste; Salt to taste
    3. Cover and let stand for 2 hours to allow the flavors to develop. The sauce will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 days.

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • One beef roast from the rib or loin, bone-in or boneless
  • About ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper per pound of meat
  • 1 (Basic Pan Gravy)
  • 1 Chimichurri, Salsa Verde, Horseradish Sauce, Z.26 Steak Sauce, Béarnaise Sauce, Sauce Meurette, Sauce Chasseur, or Sauce Marchand de Vin

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Trim all but a ¼-inch thickness of fat from: One beef roast from the rib or loin, bone-in or boneless

  2. Step 2.

    Season the roast liberally with: About ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper per pound of meat

  3. Step 3.

    Place fat side up on a rack set in a shallow roasting pan and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days to dry out the surface of the meat (this will promote browning).

  4. Step 4.

    When ready to cook, set the roast out at room temperature for 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 450°F.

  5. Step 5.

    Place the pan in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and roast until a thermometer inserted in the center of the thickest part registers between 120° and 130°F for rare to medium-rare (for other temperatures, see chart). Begin checking smaller roasts after 20 minutes; thicker roasts may take 1 ½ hours. Transfer the meat to a platter, cover loosely with foil, and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes before carving (the temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees during this time). If desired, make a jus, above, or: (Basic Pan Gravy)

  6. Step 6.

    Carve the roast into ⅛- to ½-inch slices as desired. Drizzle the jus or gravy over the slices. If not using either, serve with: Chimichurri, Salsa Verde, Horseradish Sauce, Z.26 Steak Sauce, Béarnaise Sauce, Sauce Meurette, Sauce Chasseur, or Sauce Marchand de Vin

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